Until now Putin has given demands by world leaders for the crash site to be opened for inspection an icy reception. But now the Russian leader appears to ready to let investigators do their work.

In a statement released this morning, he said: "Everything must be done to ensure the safety of international experts on the scene.

"Today there are already working representatives of Donbass, Donetsk, representatives of Ministry of Ukraine, experts Malaysia.

"But this is not enough. Need to work at the crash site a full team of experts under the auspices of ICAO, the corresponding international commission. We must do everything to ensure its full and absolute security, ensure necessary for its operation humanitarian corridors."

The apparent concession will come as cold comfort to the families of those who died and world leaders after days of TV pictures showing looters rummaging through the possessions of victims. and rebel soldiers removing bodies and evidence from the scene.

Putin said the Russians had "repeatedly called on warring parties to immediately stop the bloodshed" in eastern Ukraine - despite strong evidence that the rebels have been funded, supplied, and even led by Moscow.

He said: "We have repeatedly called on all warring parties to immediately stop the bloodshed and to sit down at the negotiating table. We can confidently say that if June 28 fighting in eastern Ukraine were not renewed, then this tragedy would not have happened for sure.

"However, no one should not have the right to use this tragedy to achieve selfish political objectives. Such events should not divide but unite people.

"It is necessary that all the people who are responsible for the situation in the region improved their responsibility to their own people and to the peoples of those countries whose representatives have been victims of this disaster."